Sports

Hot Topics:

Steward: Darting here and there ...

By Carl Steward

Bay Area News Group

Posted:
06/21/2013 03:35:22 PM PDT

Updated:
06/22/2013 03:43:55 AM PDT

Darting here and there ...

Û Top three theories on what might have clogged Coliseum sewer line: 1) Reggie Jackson bobblehead, 2) first "Moneyball" script, 3) old Jose Canseco needles. Guess you would call that last one an im-PED-iment.

Û Or maybe we should just blame Stomper. When in doubt, always blame Stomper. Yeah, he looks innocent ...

Û Whatever the outcome of the sewage episode, now the Coliseum has a second Black Hole. To which the 49ers fan replies, "Only it smells better."

The Oakland Athletics play the Seattle Mariners in the fifth inning of their game at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, June 16, 2013. Oakland defeated Seattle 10-2. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Û Seattle's clubhouse might have been worse off than Oakland's in the sewage spillover. Mariners almost had to resort to their nickname.

Û Sean Doolittle was do-little, do-late covering first base against the Rangers, which cost the A's a split in the finale of a feisty four-game series in Arlington.

Û If Nelson Cruz makes that back-to-the-wall catch he made against the A's on Thursday two years ago in the World Series, the Rangers would have a championship today.

Advertisement

Û It's a testament to the A's improved talent stockpile that they have a couple of top prospects seriously knocking on the door -- pitcher Sonny Gray and outfielder Michael Choice -- and nobody's answering just yet.

Û Cornerback Darrelle Revis paid $50,000 to get No. 24 from another player on his new team in Tampa Bay. Good thing he's not a baseball player coming to the Giants.

Û And Anthony Dixon is suddenly lamenting that Revis didn't come to the 49ers.

Û When it comes to Miami, the Giants act like they're playing the Heat, not the Marlins, and LeBron James is pitching.

Û A healthy percentage of fans are rationalizing that the Giants are better off with Juan Perez in center than the reinjured Angel Pagan. Flat wrong, emphasis on the flat. Without Pagan, there's no swagger.

Û Top Giants draft pick Christian Arroyo, 18, was in town to sign his deal, and if he'd put on a full uniform, he could have passed for a bat boy. Said he grew up watching Buster Posey. What?

Û Time to retrofit and polish up the Sharks penalty box: Raffi Torres re-signed for three years.

Û OK, maybe it's just us, but why do the Warriors keep working out all these potential draft picks when they don't have any draft picks?

Û First and foremost order of business for Golden State: re-signing Jarrett Jack, who is officially a free man now. Don't let a team like the Clippers get any crazy ideas.

Û Speaking of the Clips, we thought they'd gone legit franchise, but what's with trying to trade for a coach?

Û NBA Finals Goat Horns Dept.: Danny Green faded to black when it mattered most: 2 for 19 over the last two games, 2 for 11 from 3-point range. Must have been the Miami altitude.

Û Despite a few flashes of the old Ginobili, Spurs fans got more manure than Manu.

Û The 2013 Spurs now have a distinct link with the 2002 Giants when it comes to Game 6 collapses. In both cases, you just knew Game 7 would be a formality.

Û So who advised Gregg Popovich to take out Tim Duncan and go small when the Spurs needed a big rebound? Did he call Don Nelson during a timeout?

Û Make either one of the two free-throw misses in the final 28 seconds of Game 6 regulation -- one by Ginobili, one by Kawhi Leonard -- and there's a parade in San Antonio as opposed to a wake.

Û He probably already was there, but if he wasn't, Ray Allen shot himself into the Hall of Fame with that 3-pointer with six seconds left in regulation of the Game 6 classic. Monster clutch.

Û Finally, we're wondering if Miami's Chris Andersen will get a new tattoo to celebrate the latest title. The only challenge is finding an open spot. Forehead, maybe?